May 28, 2013

Pipli applique work - the vibrant craft from Orissa

Orissa is one of those states of India that is world renowned for its handicrafts. One of the most popular crafts of Orissa is the gorgeous Appliqué technique work that comes from the town of Pipli. In the local slang, this technique of patching cloth design is usually known as “Chandua”.

Picture source: The Color Caravan

Pipli is a small town, situated about 40 kilometers from Puri, Orissa. The income of this town is essentially dependent on the sale of its handicrafts of which the appliqué works are the main source.

Appliqué is a French technique that basically cuts up various colored fabrics which are then sewn on to the surface of another foundation fabric. It was first discovered when clothes were ripped and they needed to be sewn over in order to fix them. But essentially it has now developed into a needlework technique in which smaller pieces of fabric, materials like small mirrors and other forms of embroidery are sewn onto a bigger piece of cloth to create designs and patterns.

Picture source: The Color Caravan

Many products are doled out by this small town. The streets are kaleidoscope of colors; choc-a-bloc of Trasa banners, Chandua-canopies, Chhattri-umbrellas, animal puppets, wall hangings, covers for shrines, parasols, bags, pouches, cushion covers and lanterns. Samiana or canopies and chhattri/umbrellas carry the most appliqué techniques of the utmost artistic skills. These crafts are mostly inherited, comes down from family to family. Pipli applique technique mostly uses cut patches of cloth which are then designed usually in flower, birds and animal patterns. They then are sewn into bedcovers, cushions, lamp shades, etc. The colors that are usually used are the four primary colors: black, white, red and yellow but over time other colors have been introduced to enliven the craft.

Pipli Appliqué formed the backbone of Orissa’s craft industry initially but over the years they had fallen into decline until recently it found its way back to popularity by catering to a wider array of customer needs. Usually casement, suede and velvet goes in the making of Pipli appliqués with women acting as the main designers of the work while the men merely involving themselves in the cutting of the cloth stylistically.

Picture source: The Color Caravan

There has been a lot of demand for Pipli works and one of the major sources of income for these artisans are the Pipli appliqué lamp. A lot of effort goes in the making of something that looks really simple and stylish. There’s a lot of cutting and sewing involved apart from the embroidery and mirror work that goes into the making of a lampshade.

Pipli lampshades are intricately made and the time taken to put up a lampshade is entirely dependent on the complexity of the pattern. Usually a smaller sized lampshade takes about a day but sometimes the bigger pieces with more intricate workings of patterns and designs take up about two to three months.

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Picture source: dsource.in

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The designing of the lampshades begins with a simple stenciling of the size of the lampshade required and then cutting the shape out on a cardboard paper. The stencil outlines are then traced out neatly over the cloth. The important thing to note is the artisans’ need to preserve the cloth because they believe in minimal wastage and try to rescue and recycle as much cloth and material as possible. The traced outlines are then cut onto many identical layers of cloth which then are bundled together. This makes it easy to store and use them when required.

Picture source: dsource.in

Lampshades usually make use of a coarse and low cost material cloth onto which the appliqués are then machine stitched in simple and decorative patterns. Then the artisans make use of wooden or iron rings to mould it into the shape of the lampshade. And once the cloth is stitched onto it the embellished mirrors are stacked onto it using simple stitching process. Many artisans even add borders and other forms of embellishment to enhance the beauty of the lampshades.

Picture source: dsource.in

These lampshades are usually prepared in bulk because they are extensively used during festivals. But since they have even picked up a market in many cities, they are constantly in demand. This has meant a steady means of employment for many men and women in the town of Pipli.

Picture source: dsource.in

Amazingly, in lampshades alone, over 1000 designs and patterns are available. This coupled with the fact that they produce the most serene ambience has ensured that these lampshades won’t go out of trend for a very long time.

Picture source: The Color Caravan

A growing demand for Pipli art, especially by foreign tourists has resurrected this previously neglected cottage industry. Machine stitching has also caught up with the artisans of this town which is a proud achievement for these workers. But the people of this town are mostly proud of their handcrafted achievements because that is the purest way of keeping their art heritage alive.